Resin Groutable Expansion Anchor and Method of Installing Same

ABSTRACT

A rock bolt and a method of installing a rock bolt in a borehole ( 3 ) of a rock formation. The rock bolt including an elongate shank ( 1 ) and an expansion assembly ( 2 ) located at the distal end of the shank. The expansion assembly being expandable to lock the rock bolt in a borehole upon relative forward rotation of the rock bolt. The rock bolt further including stop means ( 4 ) to lock the expansion assembly with respect to the rock bolt for conjoined rotation upon a reverse rotation of the rock bolt.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to rock bolts and methods for installing rock bolts and in particular to rock bolts which are used in combination with a cementing material. The invention has been developed primarily for rock bolts used in mining applications and will be described hereafter with reference to this application. However, it will be appreciated that the invention is not limited solely to mining applications.

BACKGROUND

Any discussion of the prior art throughout the specification should in no way be considered as an admission that such prior art is widely known or forms part of common general knowledge in the field.

There are three main types of rock bolt known for securing supporting structures in mine cavities. The first is a resin anchored rock bolt, which is installed in a borehole by inserting the bolt into the borehole, which contains a quick-setting resin compound. Once the resin is cured the bolt can be tensioned thereby to support the structure.

The second type is a mechanically anchored rock bolt, which uses an expansion assembly located at the distal end of the rock bolt. The expansion assembly expands upon a forward rotation to anchor the rock bolt in a borehole.

The third type is a combined mechanical and resin anchored rock bolt. This type uses a resin compound in combination with a mechanical expansion assembly to form an anchor with the advantages of both types mentioned above.

Typically this type of rock bolt is installed by first inserting a frangible capsule containing a resin compound into a borehole. The rock bolt is then inserted into the borehole to rupture the resin capsule. Once the resin is released, the bolt is further inserted into the borehole until the desired position is reached. A forward rotation is then applied to activate the expansion assembly thereby locking the rock bolt in the borehole whilst the resin cures.

A disadvantage of this type of rock bolt is that during the insertion process, a user often has to axially reciprocate the bolt to sufficiently mix and distribute the resin compound such that the rock bolt forms a strong bond once the resin cures. As such, the time required to perform this reciprocation can add significantly to the installation cost.

Additionally, the axial insertion force required has been found to be excessive due to the fine clearance between the bore and the expansion assembly providing only a very small path for the resin to flow.

It should be understood that during this insertion process, and before the rock bolt reaches its desired position, only minimal rotation may be applied. That is, a forward rotation causes the expansion assembly to immediately and irreversibly lock the rock bolt before it reaches its final position, and a reverse rotation will cause the expansion assembly to potentially disengage from the rock bolt shank.

It is an object of the present invention to overcome or ameliorate at least one of the disadvantages of the prior art, or to provide a useful alternative.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

According to a first aspect of the invention there is provided a rock bolt having:

-   -   an elongate shank;     -   an expansion assembly at the distal end of the shank, the         expansion assembly being expandable to lock the rock bolt in a         borehole upon relative forward rotation of the rock bolt; and     -   stop means to lock the expansion assembly with respect to the         rock bolt for conjoined rotation upon a reverse rotation of the         rock bolt.

Preferably, the expansion assembly includes an expansion shell having two or more longitudinally extending elongate expansion leaves for locking of the rock bolt in the borehole.

Preferably, the expansion shell is slidably engaged with the shank and is supported on the shank by an abutment member. More preferably, the abutment member is a nut threadedly engaged with the shank.

Preferably, the diameter of the expansion shell is substantially equal to the diameter of the rock bolt shank such that the cementing material flows more freely to the region of the rock bolt shank below the expansion shell.

Preferably, the expansion assembly includes a chuck in threaded engagement with the shank such that rotation of the rock bolt with respect to the chuck causes axial movement of the chuck, the chuck having surfaces in sliding keying engagement with complementary surfaces on the expansion leaves to cause outward divergent deformation of the leaves upon the relative forward rotation of the rock bolt. The chuck and expansion shell are preferably adapted for conjoined rotation.

Preferably, the stop means is a stop formation disposed at the distal end of the rock bolt shank. More preferably, the stop formation is a flange member fixedly connected to the rock bolt shank. Alternatively, the stop formation may be formed from a portion of the rock bolt shank and the distal end of the rock bolt may be pressed flat to define the stop formation.

Preferably, each leaf includes a plurality of gripping formations disposed on its outer surface for gripping engagement with the borehole.

Preferably, the chuck surfaces are tapered.

Preferably, the chuck includes one or more fluid flow passageways.

According to a second aspect of the invention there is provided a method for installing a rock bolt of the first aspect in a borehole of a rock formation, including the steps of:

-   -   (i) inserting a frangible capsule containing a cementing         material into the borehole;     -   (ii) inserting the rock bolt into the borehole until the capsule         is ruptured and rotating in a reverse direction whilst applying         an insertion force to further insert into the borehole; and     -   (iii) rotating the bolt in a forward direction to expand the         expansion assembly and thereby lock the rock bolt in the         borehole.

Preferably, a substantial portion of the rock bolt shank is encapsulated by the cementing material after step (ii).

Preferably, the reverse rotation mixes the cementing material.

Preferably, the frangible capsule in substantially shredded by the reverse rotation.

Preferably, the rock bolt head is substantially 50 mm away from the surface of the rock formation after step (ii).

Preferably, the cementing material is a two-part epoxy resin compound.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Preferred embodiments of the invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a side view of a rock bolt according the present invention;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged view of the expansion assembly of the rock bolt of FIG. 1 shown releasably locked to the shank of the rock bolt; and

FIG. 3 is sectional view of another embodiment of the rock bolt of FIG. 1, shown installed in a borehole.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Referring to the drawings, the rock bolt includes an elongate shank 1 and an expansion assembly 2 located at the distal end of the shank. The arrangement is such that the expansion assembly expands to lock the rock bolt in a borehole 3 in a rock formation upon relative forward rotation of the rock bolt. As is common to the art, the illustrated rock bolt is used in combination with a two-part epoxy resin compound to secure the rock bolt in the borehole.

A stop formation in the form of a pressed flat 4 is located at the distal end of the rock bolt shank 1 and is used to lock the expansion assembly with respect to the rock bolt for conjoined rotation upon a relative reverse rotation of the rock bolt, as best shown in FIG. 2. In another embodiment (not shown), the stop formation takes the form of a flange member fixedly connected to the distal end of the rock bolt.

The expansion assembly 2 includes an expansion shell 5 having three longitudinally extending leaves 6 for locking the rock bolt in the borehole. Each leaf includes a plurality of gripping serrations 7 peripherally disposed about its outer surface, for gripping engagement with the borehole.

The expansion shell 5 includes a clearance bore 8 for sliding engagement with a threaded portion 9 of the rock bolt shank 1. A threaded nut 10 supports the expansion shell on the shank so that the expansion assembly 2 is retained at the distal end of the shank.

The expansion assembly further includes a chuck 11 having a threaded bore 12 for threaded engagement with the shank 1 so that rotation of the rock bolt with respect to the chuck causes axial movement of the chuck. The chuck includes tapered surfaces 13 in sliding keying engagement with complimentary surfaces on the leaves 6 such that the axial movement of the chuck results in outward divergent deformation of the leaves upon relative forward rotation of the rock bolt. Moreover, engagement between the leaves and the tapered surfaces allows for conjoined rotation between the expansion shell and the chuck. The chuck 11 further includes fluid flow passageways 14 to allow the resin to flow through the chuck and onto the shank 1.

In the embodiment shown in FIG. 2, the expansion shell 5 has a diameter substantially equal to the diameter of the rock bolt shank 1. Since the outer surface of the expansion shell is substantially in line with the outer surface of the rock bolt shank, the resin will flow more freely to the region below the expansion shell during installation.

Ideally, the borehole diameter is approximately equal to, or slightly less than, the diameter of the expansion shell so that rotational resistance is created between the periphery of the expansion shell and the borehole.

As best shown in FIG. 3, to install the rock bolt into a borehole 3, a frangible resin capsule (not shown) is first inserted into the borehole. The rock bolt, having been already inserted through the mining structure 15 to be supported, is then inserted into the borehole to rupture the resin capsule and allow the resin to flow out onto the assembly. The bolt is then rotated in a reverse direction, to initially cause the chuck 11 to move to abut the pressed flat 4 and thereby lock the expansion assembly with respect to the rock bolt for conjoined rotation.

The rock bolt is then further inserted into the borehole by continued reverse rotation and upward axial force. The resin will flow from the area above expansion assembly 2 on to the shank 1 through the passageways 14 and around the periphery of the expansion shell. It will be appreciated that due to the expansion assembly being locked with respect to the rock bolt there is no risk of the expansion assembly disengaging the rock bolt during the reverse rotation.

The reverse rotation insertion process continues to perform three main functions; firstly, to force the resin down the rock bolt thereby encapsulating a substantial portion of the shank 1. Secondly, the locked expansion assembly efficiently mixes the two-part epoxy resin compound. Finally, the rotation of the expansion assembly 2 substantially shreds the frangible resin capsule.

Once the rock bolt head 16 is approximately 50 mm away from the surface of the rock formation, it is rotated in a forward direction in the conventional manner to move the chuck axially away from the pressed flat and thereby expand the expansion assembly 2 to lock the rock bolt in the borehole.

It will be appreciated that the illustrated rock bolt reduces installation times because the reverse rotation makes it easier to overcome the resistance of inserting the expansion assembly through the resin. Further, the resin compound is efficiently mixed and the resin capsule is substantially shredded during the insertion process, which also saves significantly on installation time.

Although the invention has been described with reference to specific examples, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the invention may be embodied in many other forms. For example, it should be understood that many other suitable stopping formations may be used to perform the same function without departing from the scope of the invention. 

1. A rock bolt having: an elongate shank; an expansion assembly at the distal end of said shank, said expansion assembly being expandable to lock said rock bolt in a borehole upon relative forward rotation of said rock bolt; and stop means to lock said expansion assembly with respect to said rock bolt for conjoined rotation upon a reverse rotation of said rock bolt.
 2. A rock bolt according to claim 1, wherein said expansion assembly includes an expansion shell having two or more longitudinally extending elongate expansion leaves for locking said rock bolt in said borehole.
 3. A rock bolt according to claim 2, wherein said expansion shell is slidably engaged with said shank and is supported on said shank by an abutment member.
 4. A rock bolt according to claim 3, wherein said abutment member is a nut threadedly engaged with said shank.
 5. A rock bolt according to any one of claims 2 to 4, wherein the diameter of said expansion shell is substantially equal to the diameter of said rock bolt shank such that said cementing material flows more freely to the region of said rock bolt shank below said expansion shell.
 6. A rock bolt according to any one of claims 2 to 5, wherein said expansion assembly includes a chuck in threaded engagement with said shank such that rotation of said rock bolt with respect to said chuck causes axial movement of said chuck, said chuck having surfaces in sliding keying engagement with complementary surfaces on said expansion leaves to cause outward divergent deformation of said leaves upon said relative forward rotation of said rock bolt.
 7. A rock bolt according to claim 6, wherein said chuck and expansion shell are adapted for conjoined rotation.
 8. A rock bolt according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein said stop means is a stop formation disposed at the distal end of said rock bolt shank.
 9. A rock bolt according to claim 8, wherein said stop formation is a flange member fixedly connected to said rock bolt shank.
 10. A rock bolt according to claim 8, wherein said stop formation is formed from a portion of said rock bolt shank.
 11. A rock bolt according to claim 10, wherein the distal end of said rock bolt is pressed flat to define said stop formation.
 12. A rock bolt according to any one of claims 2 to 11, wherein each leaf includes a plurality of gripping formations disposed on its outer surface for gripping engagement with said borehole.
 13. A rock bolt according to any one of claims 6 to 12, wherein said chuck surfaces are tapered.
 14. A rock bolt according to any one of claims 6 to 13, wherein said chuck includes one or more fluid flow passageways.
 15. A rock bolt substantially as herein described with reference to any one of the embodiments of the invention illustrated in the accompanying drawings and/or examples.
 16. A method of installing a rock bolt according to any one of claims 1 to 15 in a borehole of a rock formation, including the steps of: (i) inserting a frangible capsule containing a cementing material into the borehole; (ii) inserting the rock bolt into the borehole until the capsule is ruptured and rotating in a reverse direction whilst applying an insertion force to further insert into the borehole; and (iii) rotating the bolt in a forward direction to expand the expansion assembly and thereby lock the rock bolt in the borehole.
 17. A method according to claims 16, wherein a substantial portion of said rock bolt shank is encapsulated by said cementing material after step (ii).
 18. A method according to claim 16 or claim 17, wherein said reverse rotation mixes said cementing material.
 19. A method according to any one of claims 16 to 18, wherein said frangible capsule in substantially shredded by said reverse rotation.
 20. A method according to any one of claims 16 to 19, wherein the head of said rock bolt is substantially 50 mm away from the surface of said rock formation after step (ii).
 21. A method according to any one of claims 16 to 20, wherein said cementing material is a two-part epoxy resin compound.
 22. A method of installing a rock bolt substantially as herein described with reference to any one of the embodiments of the invention illustrated in the accompanying drawings and/or examples. 